30 Weeks Pregnant

Welcome to your 30th week of pregnancy — you’ve got another 10 weeks before the baby hits the outside world. What to expect at 30 weeks pregnant? At this time, you probably feel extremely excited and super stressedat the same time. Visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks for checkups to ensure that both you and your little one are fine and ready for D-day! The intricate baby-making jigsaw is now being put together — and the fine-tuning process will continue until birth!

Contents:

Pregnancy Symptoms at 30 Weeks

Pregnancy Symptoms at 30 Weeks

What to Expect:

Week 30 comes with a myriad of symptoms, from tiredness to clumsiness.

Your belly has grown considerably, which is probably making it very difficult for you to sleep. This also shifts your center of gravity, causing you to feel unsteady on your feet — and worsening your back pain as well. Hormone changes are also relaxing your muscles and loosening your ligaments and joints, further contributing to the unsteadiness.

Emotional ups and downs are perfectly normal this week, and they are caused by permanent stress coupled with lack of sleep, uncomfortable symptoms, and hormonal changes. Most pregnant women start wondering what labor will be like, and whether or not they can spot labor symptoms on time. This is understandable, but don’t worry — when D-day comes, you’ll know it!

Your expanding uterus is crowding your diaphragm, which can make you feel breathlessat times. Don’t stress out too much about it — when your breathing is heavy, try to inhale and exhale slowly until you feel relaxed. This symptom will ease a bit when the baby drops lower in your pelvis a few weeks later.

You may also notice more vaginal discharge than usually — and soon the cervical mucus plug will also be expelled. Ask your midwife or doctor about it so you can know when your body starts to prepare for delivery.

Your Baby at 30 Weeks

How big is a baby at 30 weeks? Right now, your baby size is around 15.7 inches long and weighs around 3 pounds — almost as much as a melon. As he grows, the volume of amniotic fluid shrinks — during week 30, he’s surrounded by just one pint and a half of this fluid! His eyesight is in the process of fine-tuning — and after birth, he’ll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open his eyes, his eyesight will be around 20/400, meaning that he can make out only objects that are very close to his face (by contrast, normal adult vision is 20/20).

The brain keeps developing and changing appearance,taking on the grooves and ridges that will make it so similar to an adult’s. Lanugo will start to disappear soon, as will the “varnish” that covers his skin. The bone marrow is also starting to produce red blood cells. Surprisingly, your little one’s digestive system is almost fully developed, and will soon be ready for mouth feeding! Of course, your baby will keep piling on fat until birth, and this fat will be used more for energy rather than temperature control.

Ultrasound Images of 30 Week Pregnancy

Bellies at 30 Weeks

Pregnancy Tips

If you haven’t started to pack the things you’ll need in the hospital, then start doing so right away! You’re going to need comfy clothes, toiletries for before and after birth, a lip balm (hey, your lips need to stay moisturized too!), a toothbrush with toothpaste, and — the best part of all! — the little outfit that you’ll dress your tiny human with. Some women prefer to cut their hair so it’s easier to style. A mani-pedi session is also recommended — unless you’re one of those lucky women who can still reach their toes!

Don’t forget to keep an eye on your diet — and try to keep active by exercising daily!